


take it slow

by coquettishh



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Mild Language, Post-Break Up, bad boxing references, diego's car cameo, lots of hand holding, mild jealousy, overanalyzing text messages, wistful diego
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25916086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coquettishh/pseuds/coquettishh
Summary: it wasn’t like you were falling in love with him for the first time. you knew where all his scars were, as he knew yours. you were past that phase of learning new things, new quirks, new flaws about each other.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Reader, Diego Hargreeves/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	take it slow

**Author's Note:**

> this is a sequel to apartment story, but i think it can be read on its own, even if you haven’t read the first one. enjoy!

It could be because you’ve known him for so long. Maybe you were overthinking things. But something about his text seemed to set you off. You read it again, naively — _selfishly_ — wishing the contents of the text would magically change into something else.

> _'Hey I’m running late'_   
>  _'Held up by Patch at precinct'_   
>  _'See you later babe'_

The words: ‘late’ / ‘Patch’ / ‘babe’ felt like a 1-2-3 combo. Little jabs made to make you feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. The worst haiku ever written. Whatever terrible analogy that fit with how you were feeling at the time.

You felt impatient. Nervous. A little… _jealous_.

It’s just coffee, you told yourself. Coffee with Diego Hargreeves. Diego Hargreeves, that guy you broke up with.

Talking to him. Talking to him about _feelings_.

You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down. It was a bad habit, reading and re-reading texts. Finding hidden meanings in tiny, unimportant text messages. And yet, you couldn’t help yourself.

You read it slowly. Again.

> _'Hey I’m running late'_

You didn’t fault him for it. He was probably out last night stopping some idiot out in the streets. It was fine. You remembered the times when you were still together, where you woke up to see him early in the morning passed out on your couch (or on your bed, depending on where fatigue caught up with him).

> _'Held up by Patch at the precinct'_

Patch… They were together briefly, right? After the two of you… _God_. Stupid question. Stupid of you for even considering a future with him. For the second time. What were you thinking?

> 'See you later babe'

You could almost hear him say it. You were glad he couldn’t see the blush on your face right now. How warm it made your cheeks. The things he would’ve said (or done), at the sight of you melting from his words. You were jealous at how easily he said it. You wondered how fast it was for Diego to fall back into old nicknames and habits so quickly. How easy it was for him to still have all this love for you.

‘I hate this,’ you sighed. ‘ _I hate him._ ’ you said out loud, as though saying it to your phone would instantly relay this message to him. You sighed and put your phone down, looking around as if someone had caught you reading something not intended for the public’s eye. It was like a walk in the park for him, being in love with you again.

You wish you could say the same for yourself.

* * *

‘I missed this car.’ you said, extending your hand in the open window of Diego’s car, feeling the breeze touch your hand. The two of you were finally on the way to get coffee. Getting coffee wasn’t a date _date_. It was nice. It was casual. No weird ‘can I stay over’ situation could ever come off of it. 

‘Miss the car more than me, huh?’ Diego asked.

'Maybe.’

You couldn’t help it. Your thoughts were distracted about something. About _someone_. The image was burned into your brain. The name on the text that wasn’t yours. Was it jealousy? You knew it was. So you blurted it out, old insecurities coming back, nipping at your heart.

‘So… How’s Patch?’ 

You tried to sound casual about it, but he knew you better.

'Uh, busy trying to catch me as you can see.’

You hummed and fell silent.

‘What? _You jealous?_ ’ he grinned.

‘Oh please,’ you rolled your eyes at him. Diego look unconvinced, enjoying this.

’Even when we were together, you always get so jealous...’ He couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes on the road. The word ‘were’ made you flinch inwardly but you continued.

‘If she only knew what we were doing in the parking lot at Griddy’s after my birthda—’

‘ _Jesus christ,_ not that—’ He said, embarrassed. ’I thought that was a good night for us.’

_Us…_

You sighed, your attention lost in memories of the two of you together. ‘It feels so long ago,’ you said, your voice sounding distant, your thoughts somewhere else. The grin on your face faded into a wistful smile. ’The last time we…’

Your voice drifted off, and your eyes met his gaze.

He looked at you knowingly. Memories of him picking you up from work. Picking _him_ up with the car when he got in trouble. Road trips with him. A lot of kissing. Sometimes more than that. It was like a bubble, a small world that only the two of you inhabited. It felt like nothing could ever go wrong. Oh, if you only knew at the time.

‘Yeah,’ He remembered too. ‘I know.’

‘Remember our road trips…?’ you continued, thinking back fondly. ‘So many places.’

’So many plans.’ Diego said, as he turned the corner, parking the car at an empty spot with ease.

An unsteady breath left your body, the initial anxiety you felt when you saw him again coming back. The silence lingered.

‘I know.’ was all you said.

You both fell quiet as you walked to the cafe. There was a considerable distance between the two of you. Any further apart and you would’ve looked like two strangers coincidentally walking to the same destination. Was it something you said? Did he remember something on your worst days when you were still together? There was a look in his eyes, and you couldn’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling. The same look in his face when the two of you broke u—

He said your name suddenly, taking you out of your worries.

‘You know how I feel. About this.’ Diego said, looking at you. ‘About _you_.’

You envied him. He could say the dumbest things about everything or everyone else, but when it came to his feelings for you, he was so clear, so forward. It was maddening. You, however, struggled at it. You knew you ~~_love_~~ —have feelings for him. But you broke up.

It was different. 

It wasn’t like you were falling in love with him for the first time. You knew where all his scars were, as he knew yours. You were past that phase of learning new things, new quirks, new flaws about each other.

You spent all that effort moving on from him. All that time putting yourself back together. Dating other people. Having a life without him. _Forgetting._

It was hard to put it in words, to tell him without imploding from all the emotions. But you wanted to try.

‘It’s just…’ You bit your lip. 

‘It’s not easy for me.’

Diego reeled back a little bit, taken aback by your words. You thought you knew what he was going to say or do next; the Diego you’ve known would’ve retorted out of instinct, but he simply looked at you and paused.

‘It wasn’t easy for me too.’ He said quietly, hurt laced in his voice. You wished you could take what you said back. ‘I-It never was.’

‘Diego, wait—’ you said, squeezing your eyes shut, trying to organize your thoughts, your feelings, and the nagging urge to not just kiss him then and there, because none of the words you said could ever convey how you felt about him. You suddenly grabbed the sleeve of his navy jacket, stopping him before he could walk away.

‘I love you.’ It escaped your mouth so easily, so quickly, your guard crumbling apart.

His eyes widened a little, both at the sudden honesty and the sleeve grab. It was like emotional word vomit. Thoughts, feelings, whatever you had kept in your heart for him started pouring out. 

‘But I-I'm scared. I want to do it but what if it doesn’t work out the second time around? I just can’t do this whole moving on bullshit again—’

‘-I can’t fucking lose you again, Diego.’

You didn’t want to cry in front of him, but you felt your cheeks getting hot, and tears were threatening to fall. You took a deep breath, bowed your head, and composed yourself. You let go of his sleeve, but his hand caught yours, holding it tight.

‘I know,’ he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. ‘You don’t think I’m scared too? I’m fucking _terrified_.’

'But I still... I feel the same way.’ He continued. ‘You do too. I don’t know. That must mean something, right?’

There was a pause, and he said, ‘I mean… Could we try at least?’

'Take it slow?’ you told him, your gaze was still on Diego’s hand that was holding yours.

’Take it slow.’ He repeated, slowly.

'Yeah,’ Diego said. ‘Yeah, I like that.’

You were both silent for a few moments taking each other in, until you said: ‘So when’s our first date?’

A grin cracked through his face, his body easing a little, at your smile. ‘You mean, our “second” first date.’ Diego corrected.

He suddenly made a move to kiss you, but you pushed him away, raising your eyebrow at him comically. ’We just said we’re taking it slow, Hargreeves—‘

‘What, that means you’re a nun now?’ He winked at you, smiling. ‘And what’s this “Hargreeves” bullshit, we on last name basis already? So what should I call you? _Mrs. Hargreeves?_ ’

‘Oh my fucking god, _Diego_ —’ you buried your face in your hands, hiding the blush on your face.

He kissed the top of your head without warning, his arm around your shoulder, laughing with you.

It felt like the sunlight was playing a trick on you, shining at him at the perfect moment, as soon as you looked up at him. He looked so beautiful. You wanted to kiss him then and there, wanted to feel his lips onto yours, remembering what you had missed. But you didn’t. At least not now. You knew you had all the time.

You had so many days to look forward to. With him in it.

**Author's Note:**

> i had a lot of fun writing this; sometimes you know & love a person so long and so deeply they bring out the best (and at times, the worst) in you! thank you to totallynotashieldagent for suggesting a little closure for diego, it was something i already had in my drafts but it gave me the final push to finish it.


End file.
